November 30, 2012

Kansas State University partners with Texas Tech University to recruit and hire diverse talent

A new partnership with Texas Tech University will help Kansas State University increase diversity in applicant pools for open positions.

The partnership -- the first of its kind for Kansas State University -- involves a database called The Registry, which is short for the National Registry of Diverse and Strategic Faculty. The Registry, maintained by Texas Tech University, connects current and prospective faculty members from underrepresented groups with higher education institutions that are seeking to fill open positions with qualified candidates. The Registry is the only database of diverse and strategic faculty candidates supported by a major university.

"This new partnership will help Kansas State University continue to recruit and retain the highly talented and diverse workforce we need now and in the future as we work toward our goals for K-State 2025," said April Mason, university provost and senior vice president. "We look forward to the positive results that will come from this partnership."

The university's office of affirmative action worked with Mason to offer this recruiting resource to search committees at no charge to departments. The office will be responsible for posting vacant positions on The Registry.

"We decided to form this partnership to provide an advertising resource to the campus community and to help increase diversity in Kansas State University's applicant pools," said Roberta Maldonado Franzen, interim director in affirmative action. "The subscription is an important recruitment tool to assist the university in reaching one of its 2025 goals to seek out and hire diverse talent."

Through The Registry's database, candidates from underrepresented groups can enter their relevant education and employment information. Once this information is uploaded, Kansas State University and other subscribing institutions may contact candidates in whom they are interested. In turn, candidates are able to search job postings listed by Kansas State University and other subscribing institutions. The Registry is free of charge to candidates.

"Our College of Education has been interested in utilizing this premier national resource for quite some time," said Amanda Morales, an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction who has advocated for the university to join the database. "It is highly valuable and serves as a direct conduit to the most talented diverse faculty on the market in our respective fields. By investing in The Registry, Kansas State University demonstrates its increasing commitment to diversity at all levels of the university."

Kansas State University will also be highlighted at least twice a year on The Registry homepage as a "Featured Institution."